Press on Your Side: How can JCP&L be out of meters?

Jun. 2, 2013

Mike Panepinto, a Jersey Central Power & Light single-phase-meter tester, reinstalls a meter at a home on West Bayview Drive in Toms River in February. Superstorm Sandy created a backlog on meters. / MIKE MCLAUGHLIN/SPECIAL TO THE ASBURY PARK PRESS

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@dpwillis732

Her bill was estimated, meaning no one read her electric meter, for three statements in a row. What was going on?

A JCP&L representative told her it was broken and the utility needs to replace it. That’s a good explanation for the estimated bills.

Degnaro saw that her meter was not operating. The numbers that detail usage couldn’t be seen. “It was just black,” she said.

But the problem arose after the diagnosis.

Several weeks later, Degnaro called JCP&L again and was told her meter was placed on order in April. The one she needed was out of stock.

She has a time-of-day meter, which means Degnaro is charged less for electricity at night and more when she turns things on during the day.

“They had no idea when one would be coming in,” Degnaro said. She was given the option of switching to straight electric service with a regular meter without delay.

No thanks. Degnaro has had time-of-day service since 1984. Until about 18 months ago, her home was heated by electricity before she switched to natural gas.

Still, at age 89, why change her level of service now? (It’s not a popular option. Only 20,000 of the utility’s 1.1 million customers opt for it.)

But a meter reading date was coming up, and Degnaro was pretty sure it would be an estimated bill once again. Estimated bills are based on past usage and revised after the meter is read. Sure, her electricity bill is lower now that she heats with natural gas. “But I still want an actual meter reading,” Degnaro said.

Degnaro called Press on Your Side for help with JCP&L and sent over copies of her electric bill and a handwritten note. “What is the trouble?” she asked.

Out of meters?

Press on Your Side contacted JCP&L spokesman Ron Morano. How can an electric utility run out of electric meters?

The answer: superstorm Sandy. “That is why the meter for this particular customer was not available,” Morano said.

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Following the storm, there were about 30,000 JCP&L customers with damage that was so severe their homes could not be juiced with electricity.

Utility workers had to pull the broken meters out of the damaged houses, Morano said. After repairs were made and deemed safe, JCP&L installed new meters and turned the power back on.

Talk about a run on electricity meters.

Of the 30,000 customers who needed replacements in the storm’s immediate aftermath, JCP&L has cut it down to about 1,900, all in the areas that were devastated, such as Mantoloking and Toms River’s Ortley Beach section. “They all need new meters,” Morano said.

As for Degnaro, she received a call that a meter was on the way after Press on Your Side inquired. It was installed recently in time for her next meter read on June 10.

Do you have a consumer problem that needs solving? Contact business writer David P. Willis, and he will try to help. Reach him at tel:732-643-4042, pressonyourside@njpress media.com or facebook .com/dpwillis732.